The invention relates to a device or a method for operating a generator.
UV generators are often used for quick curing of lacquers and paint. Most often, the UV generators are discharge lamps that emit light primarily in the UV range. The UV generators are operated either in flash mode or continuously.
Control and monitoring of such UV generators are very involved and problematic. To ensure continuous and trouble-free operation of a curing system, one has to determine if the UV generator has been ignited and, if during operation at so point, it has become extinguished. If the performance of the UV generator is to be assessed as well, in particular the UV output, this determination depends to a large extent on the active power. However, depending on the lamp being used, the ballast circuit and the operating frequency, the active power may only be a fraction of the reactive power. This determination is, therefore, very problematic.